CITING the need to ensure transparency among government officials, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave clearance to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to open the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
“Kung ano sinasabi ng batas, kung ano ang proseso, susunod ang Pangulo,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing.
She, however, maintained that the President made the decision “for the sake of truth.”
“So, kung yan ang sinasabi at kinakailangan na magbigay siya ng kanyang approval sa BIR para mabuksan ang tax records nila VP Sara at Atty. Mans Carpio, at ito naman ay para sa katotohanan, hindi niya po ipagkakait ang katotohanan sa ating mga kababayan,” the Palace mouthpiece added.
Meanwhile, Defense team spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa declined to issue a statement on Castro’s announcement.
Earlier, the Senate acting as impeachment court, earlier started issuing subpoenas for Duterte’s tax and bank records including those from the BIR, from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and from banks.
Castro likewise warded off claims that the move was politically-motivated — “Sa lahat naman ng pagkakataon, kapag ang Pangulo ay gumagawa ng naaayon sa batas pero merong tinatamaan, laging sasabihin nila ‘politically motivated.’ So saan pupunta? Saan lalagay ang Pangulo?”
“Kahit ano pang sabihin ng iba, basta ang alam ng Pangulo siya ay tumutupad sa proseso, siya ay tumutupad sa batas, kahit siya pa ay paringgan o bigyan ng negatibong impresyon, hindi matitinag ang Pangulo basta siya ay sa batas at sa proseso,” she added.
Earlier this month, impeachment court presiding officer Senator Francis Escudero ordered the return of the sealed green box to the BIR. The box contains tax records of Duterte and her husband.
The Vice President’s legal team previously said it would allow the box to be opened, but only during an executive session.
 to open the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte.){kind=link}